TWI464605B - Computer-implemented method and input method editor server - Google Patents

Description

Computer-implemented method and input method editor server

This disclosure relates to input methods.

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/922,710, filed on Apr

A language that uses one or more of the characters substantially corresponding to a text or a meaning of a logographic script has more keys than a standard input device (eg, a computer keyboard or a mobile device keypad) Character. For example, the Chinese language contains tens of thousands of characters whose pronunciation is defined by the basic Pinyin element and five tones. The mapping of such possibly many-to-one associations can be implemented by facilitating the input of input characters and symbols that do not exist on the input device. Therefore, a Western keyboard can be used to input Chinese characters. Similarly, an input method can be used to input many other languages including ideograms using a Western keyboard or some other input device, such as Japanese, Korean, and other languages.

In order to implement an input method, the user generally has to install a client-side software application and a library. However, such installation may be inconvenient when a user is working on a computer device that does not belong to the user (eg, a public computer device or a second computer in a work environment, etc.).

This manual describes the techniques associated with the Input Method Editor. In some embodiments, the input method code is provided to a client device from which The client device receives an input method text. A library model for an input method instance according to the input method context is selected, and the access to the library model is provided to the client device. The library model can be used to provide input method processing for an input method instance on the client device.

In some embodiments, data identifying the context of an input method editor can be received from a client device. An input method editor library can be selected that is optimized for the identified input method editor context. The selected input method editor library can include a combination of input and character associations. The access to the selected input method editor library can be provided to the client device. An input method editor code can be provided to the client device, the input method editor code configured to generate an input method editor instance at the client device. The input method editor instance is operable to process a combined input for a plurality of input method editor contexts. The input method editor instance is also operative to process the combined inputs to identify candidate characters based on the association of the combined input and the characters included in the selected input method editor library.

In some embodiments, a system includes a data store and an input method editor engine. The data store is configured to store an input method editor library, each input method editor library is optimized for a corresponding input method editor context, and each input method editor library includes a combined input Associated with a character. The input method editor engine is configured to receive an input method editor internal data identifying an input method editor text, and selecting one of the input method editors for the identified input method editor context Library, and will pick up the input method editor library A client device is provided. The input method editor is also configured to provide an input method editor code to the client device. The input method editor code is configured to generate an input method editor instance at the client device. The input method editor instance is operable to process a combined input for a plurality of input method editor texts and to process the combined input to convert the combined input and characters included in the selected input method editor library The association identifies the candidate characters.

In some embodiments, an input method code can be received at a client device and executed to instantiate an input method editor instance that can be used in a plurality of input method editor contexts. The data identifying the text of the input method can be provided to an input method editor server, and in response, an input method editor library can be accessed by the input method instance. The input method editor library optimizes one of the libraries for the input method editor context.

The details of one or more specific embodiments of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will be apparent from the description and drawings.

1 is a block diagram of one exemplary environment in which one of the systems and methods described herein can be implemented. The environment may include a client device 100, which may be, for example, a computer device (e.g., a personal computer device) or other electronic device (e.g., a mobile phone, a mobile communication device, a personal digital assistant (PDA)), and the like. The system and method herein facilitates dynamic downloading of an input method editor code and/or one or more input method editor languages and library models to A client device. For example, the language and library models can be selected based on one of the contexts detected at the client device.

The exemplary device 100 includes a processing device 102, a first data storage device 104, a second data storage device 106, an input device 108, an output device 110, and a network interface 112. Data communication between the components 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, and 112 can be established and controlled using, for example, a data bus and a busbar system 114 of a motherboard. Other system architectures can also be used.

The processing device 102 can, for example, include one or more microprocessors. The first data store 104 can, for example, include a random access memory storage device (e.g., a dynamic random access memory) or other type of computer readable media memory device. The second data store 106 can, for example, include one or more hard drives, a flash memory, and/or a read only memory or other type of computer readable media memory device.

The exemplary input device 108 can include a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, etc., and the exemplary output device 110 can include a display device, an audio device, and the like. The network interface 112 can, for example, include a wired or wireless network device operable to communicate data to and from a network 116. The network 116 can include one or more local area networks (LANs) and/or a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet.

In some embodiments, the client device 100 can receive an input method editor (IME) code 101 from an input method editor (IME) server 118 and store the input method editor code 101 in a data store. (for example, data storage 104). The input method editor code 101 can include once executed The processing device 102 is driven to execute instructions for inputting method editing functions. The input method editor code 101 can, for example, include interpreted instructions, such as instruction code instructions (eg, JavaScript or ECMAScript instructions) that can be executed in a web browser environment. Other implementations are also possible, such as a stand-alone application, a small application, a plug-in module, and the like.

Execution of the input method editor code 101 generates or initiates an input method editor instance 103. The input method editor instance 103 facilitates processing of one or more input methods at the client device 100 during which time the device 100 can receive a combined input for input characters or symbols (eg, kanji characters). . For example, the user can use one or more of the input devices 108 (eg, a keyboard such as a western keyboard, a handwriting recognition engine to use a stylus, etc.) to input Identify the combined input of Chinese characters. In some examples, a kanji character may consist of more than one combined input.

The IME code 101 can be dynamically provided for any language that uses a monogram script. For example, the IME code 101 can be provided in response to an implied request (e.g., a user invokes an input method editor function in a web browser, a toolbar, or some other editing environment). In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 can receive one or more Pinyin combination inputs and convert the combined inputs into Kanji characters. The client device 100 can represent the Chinese character characters, for example, using a combination of Pinyin syllables or characters received from a button. Each Pinyin syllable may, for example, correspond to one or more of the buttons in the Western keyboard. In the case of using the Pinyin IME (Input Method Editor), the user can use one or more pinyin sounds including the character representing the Chinese character. The combination of syllables is input to input a Chinese character.

In some embodiments, the processing of an input method is facilitated in part by the input method editor server 118. The client device 100 can provide an input method editor internal (IMEC) 105 to the input method editor server 118, for example, to provide a data message indicating a particular context. The input method editor context 105 can, for example, define one of the fields in which one of the input method editor instances 103 is being used. For example, a first text 105a may be an editor context, such as a web-based word processing environment; a second text 105b may be a search text, such as a text input box for a search engine; A third text 105c can be a message body, such as an instant message editing environment, or an email editing environment. Other input method editor texts may also be used, such as, for example, a mapping environment, a script environment, a chat environment, or other type of editing environment, and/or one of the user input history during a browsing session, And/or a user profile.

The input method editor server 118 can, for example, include an input method editor engine 120, a character data store 122, a combined input data store 124, and a library/language model data store 126. Other storage architectures are also available. The character data store 122 includes characters that use one of the coded instruction codes in one or more language models. In some embodiments, the character data store 122 also includes information regarding the relationship between the characters. For example, the character data store 122 can include a score or probability value assigned to the character based on a character adjacent to a character. Other contextual information can also be used.

The combined input data store 124 includes a combined input associated with one of the characters stored in the character data store 122. In some embodiments, the combined input data store 124 can link each character in the character data store 122 to one of the combined inputs used by the input method editor engine 120. For example, the input method editor engine 120 can use the information in the character data store 122 and the combined input data store 122 to input one or more characters in the character data store 122 with the combination. One or more combined inputs in data store 124 are associated with and/or by the latter to identify the former.

The library/language model data store 126 can define one or more libraries for a language model, for example, a plurality of libraries can be defined for a Chinese character instruction code. Each bank may, for example, define that the characters 122 are specifically associated with one of the combined input tables 124. In some embodiments, a library, such as a library (LIB) 130, can be selected in accordance with the input method editor context 105. For example, for the input method editor context 105a (which is the editor context), a corresponding word processing library 130a can be selected. The library 130a may, for example, be optimized for a particular context of the input method editor instance 103, for example, the library 130a for the editor context 105a may be more robust than the library 130b for the search context 105b. . For example, a library for a search context 105b may not implement grammar rules and general stop words in the association of character 122 with the combined input table, as search queries are often not in the form of complete sentences. However, a grammar rule and a general stop word can be implemented for a library of editors 105b, since the editor that typically calls the editor context 105a is typically used to type in a complete sentence.

The selected library (e.g., library 130a for the input method editor context 105a) may, for example, be suitable for the client device 100. Once the library 130a is received at the client device 100, the input method editor instance 103 can select candidate characters based on a combined input and characters adjacent to a selected character or adjacent to a cursor position. The input method editor instance 103 can receive a selection of one of the characters in the token instruction code (e.g., for one of the characters to be changed or modified by a user) and subsequent combined input. Based on such input and selection, the user can enter a desired character in an editing session.

In some embodiments, user input and input can be provided from the client device 100 to the input method editor server 118, and the input method editor engine 120 can be configured to provide from the selected library 130. Processing is performed on the input method of the client device.

In some embodiments, a toolbar integration provides input method editing capabilities to an online web application, such as a website having a text box, such as by adding a JavaScript snippet to the web page. This embodiment can be, for example, used in a browser device and can be integrated with existing online applications. The toolbar integration option drives a JavaScript script to load an input method editor interface. The input method editor interface can be configured to identify all text input events of a web application and request a library 130 based on the text entered by the user. The libraries 130 may be dynamically provided by the input method editor server 118 and may be based on one or more of training by using, for example, log data (including web search queries and cache files). Language models. Therefore, a particular library requested by the input method editor interface or a library selected by the server is requested or selected in accordance with the context. Other embodiments may be used, such as an input method editing environment that may be implemented using other layers in a software and/or hardware stack.

In some embodiments, the input method editor server 118 can adaptively servo one by first detecting or recognizing the text entered by the user (eg, a query or an edit area for one of the mails). Library 130. For example, for a search box, the input method editor server 118 can servo to train a library by querying the material. For a write or edit area (e.g., an email interface), the input method editor server 118 can servo to train a library by caching files. The library of input method editor servers 118 can be updated periodically.

2 is a flow diagram of an exemplary input method editor program 200. The program 200 can be implemented, for example, in one of the environments 100 shown in FIG.

The program 200 provides an input method code to a client device (202). For example, the IME server 118 can receive a request for one of the input method editor codes 101 from a client device 100 and provide the input method editor code 101 to the client device 100 in response.

The program 200 receives an input method context (204) from the client device. For example, if a user of the client device 100 attempts to invoke an input method editor program while typing a text in a search engine input field, the IME server 118 can receive an input method from the client device 100. The text, for example, searches for the text 105b.

The program 200 identifies an input method according to the input method context One of the examples is a library model (206). For example, the IME engine 120 can identify a library model (eg, library model 130b) for the input method editor instance 103 in accordance with the input method context 105b. In an embodiment, the input method editor engine 120 can provide input method editor processing for the client device 100. In another embodiment, the library 130 can be provided to the client system 100, and the input method editor instance 103 can provide input method editor processing.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of another exemplary input method editor program 300. The program 300 can be implemented, for example, in one of the environments 100 shown in FIG.

The program 300 receives an input method code (302) on a client device. For example, the IME server 118 can receive a request for one of the input method editor codes 101 from a client device 100 and provide the input method editor code 101 to the client device 100 in response. The client device 100 can receive the input method editor code 101.

The program 300 provides an input method context to an input method editor server (304). For example, when a user of the client device 100 attempts to invoke an input method editor program while typing a text in a search engine input field, an input method editor text can be entered (for example, an input method editor). The text 105b) is passed to the input method editor server 118.

The program 300 receives a library model (306) for an input method instance in accordance with the input method context. For example, the IME engine 120 can identify a library model (eg, library model 130b) for the input method editor instance 103 in accordance with the input method context 105b. The library 130 can be provided to the client 100, and the input method editor instance 103 can provide input method editor processing.

Although illustrated in the context of a particular language and input method examples, the systems and methods described herein can also be used in any language that uses a single instruction code. For example, the systems and methods described herein can be used in many other languages, including Japanese, Korean, and other languages, including ideograms.

Specific embodiments of the subject matter and functional operations described herein may be implemented in a digital electronic circuit or in a computer software, firmware or hardware (including the structures disclosed herein and their structural equivalents) Multiple combinations. The specific embodiments of the subject matter described herein may be implemented as one or more computer program products, one of computer program instructions encoded on a tangible program carrier for execution by a data processing device or for controlling the operation of the data processing device. Or multiple modules. The tangible program carrier can be a propagated signal or a computer readable medium. The propagated signal is an artificially generated signal (e.g., a machine generated signal), optical or electromagnetic signal that is generated to encode information for transmission to a suitable receiver device for execution by a computer. The computer readable medium can be a machine readable storage device, a machine readable storage substrate, a memory device or a combination of one of the propagated signals that can affect a machine or one of them. Or a combination of more than one.

The term "data processing device" encompasses all devices, devices and machines for processing data, including, for example, a programmable processor, a computer or a plurality of processors or computers. In addition to the hard body, the device may also include a code that generates an execution environment for the computer program in question, such as forming a processor firmware, a protocol A code that combines stacking, a database management system, an operating system, or a combination of one or more of them.

Computer programs (also known as programs, software, software applications, scripts or code) can be written in any form of stylized language, including compiled or interpreted languages or descriptive or procedural languages, and they can be deployed as Any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, sub-routine or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program does not necessarily correspond to a file in a file system. A program may be stored in a portion of a file that stores other programs or materials (eg, one or more scripts stored in a markup language file), dedicated to a single file of the program in question, or multiple Coordinated files (for example, files that store one or more modules, subprograms, or code parts). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on a computer or on multiple computers located at a location or across multiple locations and interconnected by a communication network.

The procedures and logic flows described herein can be implemented by executing one or more computer programs to perform one or more programmable processors by operating on input data and generating output. The programs and logic flows may also be implemented by dedicated logic circuitry, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and the device may be implemented as such dedicated logic circuitry.

A processor suitable for executing a computer program includes, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or any plurality of processors of any type of digital computer. Generally, the processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The key to a computer A component is a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include one or more storage devices (eg, magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data, or operatively coupled to receive data from such devices or to such devices. Transfer data or both for receiving and transmitting. However, the computer does not have to have such a device. In addition, a computer can be embedded in another device (for example, a mobile phone, a PDA, a mobile audio or video player, a game console, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, etc.) in.

Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and memory devices (including, for example, semiconductor memory devices such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory). Device; disk, such as internal hard disk or removable disk; magneto-optical disk; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disc). The processor and the memory may be supplemented by dedicated logic circuitry or may be incorporated into dedicated logic circuitry.

In order to provide interaction with a user, the specific embodiments of the subject matter described herein may be implemented in a display device (eg, a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) having information for displaying information to the user. A monitor and a keyboard and a computer on which the user can provide an input pointing device (for example, a mouse or trackball) to the computer. Other types of devices may also be used to provide interaction with a user; for example, the feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; Input from the user can be received For any form, including acoustic, voice or tactile input.

The specific embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification may be implemented in a computer system including a backend component (eg, as a data server) or an intermediate software component (eg, an application server) Or a front-end component (for example, a client computer having a graphical user interface or a web browser through which the user can interact with one of the embodiments described in the specification) ), or include any combination of one or more of such backends, intermediate software, or front end components. The components of the system may be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include a local area network ("LAN") and a wide area network ("WAN") such as the Internet.

The computing system can include a client and a server. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship between the client and the server is generated by a computer program running on an individual computer and having a client-server relationship with each other.

The description contains a number of specific implementation details, and the details are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention or the scope of the invention. Specific features that are described in the context of the specific embodiments of the present invention may also be combined in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are illustrated in the context of a single specific embodiment can be implemented in various embodiments, respectively, or in any suitable sub-combination. In addition, although the features can be described above as acting in a particular combination and As originally suggested, one or more features from a claimed combination may be separated from the combination in some cases, and the claimed combination may be a variation on one combination or one combination.

Also, although the operations are illustrated in a particular order, this is not to be construed as a limitation of the . In certain situations, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. In addition, the separation of various system components in the above-described embodiments should not be construed as requiring such operations in all embodiments, but it should be understood that the illustrated components and systems can be integrated together in a single software product. Medium or packaged into multiple software products.

Specific embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification have been described. Other specific embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the actions described in the scope of the claims can be carried out in a different order and still obtain the desired result. As an example, the procedures illustrated in the figures are not necessarily in a particular Multi-task and parallel processing may be advantageous in a particular situational implementation.

100‧‧‧Customer device/environment

101‧‧‧Input Method Editor (IME) code

102‧‧‧Processing device

103‧‧‧Input Method Editor Example

104‧‧‧First data storage

105‧‧‧Input Method Editor Internal (IMEC)

105a‧‧‧First text/editor context

105b‧‧‧Second text/search for text

105c‧‧‧ Third text/message

106‧‧‧Second data storage

108‧‧‧ Input device

110‧‧‧Output device

112‧‧‧Network interface

114‧‧‧ Busbar system

116‧‧‧Network

118‧‧‧Input Method Editor (IME) Server

120‧‧‧Input Method Editor Engine

122‧‧‧ character data storage

124‧‧‧Combined input data storage/combination input form

126‧‧‧Library/Language Model Data Storage

130‧‧ ‧Library (LIB)

130a‧‧‧Library/Word Processing Library

130b‧‧‧Library/Library Model

1 is a block diagram of one exemplary environment in which one of the systems and methods described herein can be implemented.

Figure 2 is a flow diagram of an exemplary input method editor program.

3 is a flow diagram of another exemplary input method editor program.

Similar reference numerals and names in the various figures indicate similar elements.

(no component symbol description)

Claims (21)

A computer-implemented method, comprising: providing an input method code from an input method editor server to a client device remote from the input method editor server in response to an irmplicit request, The implied request includes an input method editor function (invoked); an input method context is received from the client device at the input method editor server; according to the input method Identifying a library model for an input method instance at the input method editor server; and accessing the identified library model at the input method editor server (access ) is provided to the client device. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an input method code to a client device comprises providing a browser script to a client device. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an input method from the client device comprises receiving an identification of a web page viewed by the client device. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an input method from the client device comprises receiving an identification of one of the toolbar applications. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying, according to the input method context, a library model for identifying one of the input method instances comprises identifying a search field library model. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying, according to the input method context, a library editing library model for identifying a library model for an input method instance. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the input method code to a client device comprises providing an input method code defining a pinyin input method editor to a client device. The method of claim 1, wherein the library model is based on one or more language models. The method of claim 8, comprising training the one or more language models based on the search log data. The method of claim 9, wherein the search log data comprises a webpage search query. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the identified access to the library model to the client device comprises providing the identified library model to the client device. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving, at an input method editor server, a data from a client device remote from the input method editor server, the data identifying an input method editor context; The input method editor server selects one of the input method editor libraries corresponding to the identified input method editor context, the input method editor library includes the association of the combined input and the character; in the input method editor servo The selected device library of the input method editor is provided to the client device; The input method editor code is provided to the client device from the input method editor server in response to one of the invoked method editor functions, the input method editor code being configured to be at the client device Generating an input method editor instance operative to process a combined input for a plurality of input method editor contexts and for processing the combined inputs for editing in accordance with the selected input method The combined input in the library is associated with the characters to identify the candidate characters. The method of claim 12, wherein the combined input comprises a pinyin input and the characters comprise a Chinese character. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the input method editor code to the client device comprises providing a browser command code to a client device. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving, from a client device, data identifying an input method editor context comprises receiving an identification of an editing environment instantiated to the client device. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the selected input method editor library to the client device comprises providing the selected input method editor library to the client device. An input method editor server, comprising: a data storage configured to store an input method editor library, each input method editor library corresponding to an input method editor context, and each The input method editor library includes the association of the combined input with the character; An input method editor engine configured to: receive an input method editor internal data identifying an input method editor, and select one of the input method editors corresponding to the identified input method editor a library, and providing the input method editor library to a client device; and providing the input method editor code to the client device in response to one of the invoked method editor functions, the input The method editor code is configured to generate an input method editor instance at the client device, the input method editor instance being operative to process a combined input for a plurality of input method editor contexts and for processing The combined inputs identify candidate characters based on the association of the combined input and the characters included in the selected input method editor library. The input method editor server of claim 17, wherein the combined input comprises a pinyin input and the characters comprise a kanji character. The input method editor server of claim 17, wherein the input method editor code comprises a browser instruction code. The input method editor server of claim 17, wherein the input method editor code comprises a toolbar plug-in. A computer-implemented method, comprising: invoking an input method editor function at a client device; receiving, at the client device, an input method editor code in response to a call of the input method editor function; Enter a method editor code to illustrate an input method edit that is operable to process a combined input for a plurality of input method editor texts An example of an input method editor, wherein the input method editor instance is used; providing information identifying the text of the input method editor to an input method editor server remote from the client device; And accessing an input method editor library that is recognized by the input method editor server for the input method editor instance, wherein the input method editor library corresponds to the input method editor A library within one of the texts.